At the age of 26, Tiffany Mitchell found herself unexpectedly admitted to the hospital with a brainstem inflammation. She says she was moved by the compassion and care shown to her by the nursing staff.
“It was the most vulnerable experience of my life,” said Mitchell, M.S.N., R.N., NEA-BC, PCCN, Texas Health Harris Methodist Hospital Hurst-Euless-Bedford. “I promised God that if he saw me through it, I would become a nurse and servantly care for others as those who had cared for me.”
For the past 11 years, Mitchell has made good on that promise. She is one of Texas Health Resources’ 36 nurses named to the 2022 DFW Great 100 Nurses list. This year’s honorees were inspired to become nurses in a variety of ways, from personal experiences to simple whims.
Diane Salvador, B.S.N., R.N., CMSRN, Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Plano, was inspired by the care her sister, who was a nurse, gave her when she had a high fever as a child. Stacey Shepherd, M.S.N., APRN, ACNS-BC, CCNS, CCRN-K, Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Denton, doesn’t remember her first experience with healthcare, but it set her on a path to nursing.
“My grandmother was actually my mom’s labor and delivery nurse, and, according to the stories I heard growing up, my grandmother exclaimed, ‘I finally got my nurse’ as soon as I was born,” she said.
Stefanie Beavers was in a serious car accident at the age of 12. She was transferred by CareFlite to Children’s Medical Center and received care there and at Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children.
“I had firsthand experience in what a powerful impact nurses can have on a person, family and community,” said Beavers, D.N.P., R.N., NEA-BC, Texas Health HEB. “I wanted to give back and do good in the world by caring for others after I experienced amazing care and compassion as a patient.”
For several Texas Health honorees, the inspiration to become a nurse was simply serendipity.
“One day while driving through town, I noticed the nursing department sign on one of the buildings at our local university,” said Sheila Lambert, B.S.N., R.N., CNOR, Texas Health Harris Methodist Hospital Stephenville. “I was intrigued by what the profession might actually be like, and after asking a few questions, I decided to give it a try.”
Michael Culver says he became a nurse on a whim. When he learned that he had a much higher chance of getting a nursing scholarship than an engineering scholarship, which was his original interest, he went with the better odds.
“I made that decision after less than 10 seconds of reflection,” said Culver, M.S.N., R.N., CNL, Texas Health HEB. “What inspired me to stay a nurse was an addiction to bringing healing and a little bit of humor to people who are at their lowest, in pain and in need of being comforted.”
